Look up. If you’re lucky enough to have a clear sky tonight, January 13, 2026, you’re seeing the moon in a very specific, slightly awkward transition phase. Most people only really notice the moon when it's a giant, glowing dinner plate or a tiny silver sliver, but the mechanics of what's happening up there right now are actually way more interesting than just "bright" or "dark."
Right now, we are officially in the Waning Crescent phase.
It’s the home stretch. The lunar cycle is winding down. After the dramatic brightness of the last couple of weeks, the moon is basically retreating toward the sun's glare, getting thinner every single night until it disappears into the New Moon. Honestly, this is the best time for stargazing. Since the moon is barely reflecting any light, the background stars actually have a chance to pop. If you've been trying to find the Orion Nebula or just want to see the Milky Way without that massive cosmic flashlight drowning everything out, tonight is your window.
Understanding what's the moon phase right now and why it looks "broken"
The moon doesn't actually change shape. I know, groundbreaking stuff, right? But what’s happening with what's the moon phase right now is all about geometry. We are seeing the "backside" of the lunar day. Because the moon is in a Waning Crescent, it means it’s positioned between the Earth and the Sun, but not quite in a straight line yet.
Think of it like a dark room with a single lamp. If you stand between the lamp and a ball, the side of the ball facing you is dark. That's a New Moon. As you move slightly to the side, you start to see a tiny sliver of the illuminated half. That's where we are. Specifically, as of today, the moon is about 24% illuminated. It’s a "C" shape, but depending on where you are in the world—say, London versus Sydney—that "C" might look like it’s tipped over or facing the opposite direction.
👉 See also: New York Weather: What Most People Get Wrong About Tomorrow
In the Northern Hemisphere, a waning moon is illuminated on the left side. If you're down in Australia or South Africa, it's the right. It’s one of those weird "flat earth" debunkers that people forget about—the sky literally looks upside down depending on your hemisphere.
Why this particular cycle feels different
The moon’s orbit isn't a perfect circle. It’s an ellipse. This means sometimes the moon is physically closer to us (perigee) and sometimes it's further away (apogee). Right now, we aren't in a "Supermoon" phase, so the moon looks its standard, reliable size.
But there is a phenomenon you can see during a Waning Crescent called Earthshine.
Have you ever looked at a thin crescent moon and noticed you can faintly see the rest of the dark circle? It looks like a "ghost" moon holding the bright sliver. Leonardo da Vinci actually figured this out centuries ago. It’s not magic; it’s light from the Sun reflecting off the Earth’s oceans and clouds, hitting the moon, and bouncing back to your eyes. It’s essentially the Moon having a "Full Earth" night. It’s incredibly beautiful if you have a pair of basic binoculars. You can actually see the outlines of the lunar Maria (the dark plains) even on the unlit portion.
The timing of the rise and set
One thing that trips people up about what's the moon phase right now is when to actually look for it. People assume the moon only comes out at night. Total myth.
Because we are in a waning phase, the moon is actually rising in the early hours of the morning—well after midnight—and staying up through a good chunk of the day. If you look toward the southeast just before sunrise, it’ll be at its highest and brightest. By noon, it’s still up there, but the blue scattering of the atmosphere usually makes it hard to spot unless you know exactly where to point.
Misconceptions about the "Dark Side"
We need to kill the phrase "Dark Side of the Moon." Thanks, Pink Floyd, but it’s technically the "Far Side."
During a Waning Crescent, the "Far Side" of the moon—the part we never see from Earth—is actually getting blasted with sunlight. It’s almost "Full Moon" over there. Meanwhile, the side facing us is rotating into its two-week-long night. Lunar nights are brutal. Temperatures drop to around -280 degrees Fahrenheit. When you look at that thin sliver tonight, you’re looking at the very last strip of the moon’s surface that is still "daytime" before it plunges into a deep freeze.
How the moon is affecting your local environment today
It’s not just about looking pretty. The moon phase has a massive physical grip on the planet.
- Tides: Since we are moving away from the Full Moon and toward the New Moon, we are experiencing "Neap Tides." This is when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other from Earth's perspective. Their gravitational pulls cancel each other out a bit. The result? The difference between high tide and low tide is much smaller than usual. It’s a "mellow" tide day.
- Wildlife: Many nocturnal hunters, like owls or certain species of reef fish, change their behavior based on this light. With a 24% crescent, predators have to work harder. There isn't enough moonlight to see prey easily, but there's just enough to not be pitch black.
- Human Sleep: Believe it or not, a study published in Science Advances by researchers at the University of Washington showed that people tend to go to bed later and sleep less in the days leading up to a full moon. Since we are past the full moon and heading into the dark phase, you might actually find it easier to catch some deep Zs tonight. Your biological clock is finally getting a break from the extra evening light.
The technical breakdown: Degrees and Distance
For the real space geeks, here is the "under the hood" data for January 13, 2026.
The moon is currently in the constellation Scorpius (or moving toward Sagittarius depending on your exact hour). Its distance from Earth is roughly 395,000 kilometers. That’s about 30 Earths lined up in a row. It’s moving at about 1.02 kilometers per second. Even though it looks like it's just hanging there, it's absolutely hauling through space.
✨ Don't miss: I Don't Believe in God: Why Millions Are Choosing Secularism Today
Why the moon looks "red" or "orange" on the horizon
If you catch the moon rise tonight (which will be in the wee hours of the morning), it might look super orange. This isn't a "Blood Moon"—that's a lunar eclipse thing. This is just Rayleigh Scattering. When the moon is low on the horizon, its light has to travel through way more of Earth's atmosphere to reach your eyes. The atmosphere filters out the blue and violet light, leaving only the long-wavelength reds and oranges. It’s the same reason sunsets are colorful.
What comes next?
We are exactly five days away from the New Moon.
On January 18, the moon will be perfectly between us and the sun. We won't see it at all. It’ll be lost in the sun's glare for a couple of days. This is the "reset" button for the lunar calendar. If you're a gardener, traditional lore (and some modern biodynamic farming techniques) suggests this waning period is the time to focus on root crops or soil health—basically anything happening underground. Whether you believe in the lunar effect on plants or not, it’s a rhythm humans have used for about 30,000 years.
Real-world ways to use tonight's moon phase
Don't just read about it. Actually use the fact that the sky is darker tonight.
- Mobile Astrophotography: Most iPhones and Androids struggle with a Full Moon because it's too bright (it just looks like a white blob). But a 24% Waning Crescent? That’s the sweet spot. Use a tripod or lean your phone against a car roof. Use "Night Mode" and set the exposure to about 3-5 seconds. You’ll likely capture the "Earthshine" ghosting effect mentioned earlier.
- Light Pollution Check: If you can't see the crescent tonight, your local light pollution is likely pretty bad. It's a good "litmus test" for your neighborhood's sky quality.
- Morning Reflection: Since the moon is visible in the morning sky right now, it's a great companion for a morning run or coffee. There’s something uniquely peaceful about seeing a thin silver paring in a pre-dawn sky that you just don't get with a blindingly bright Full Moon.
The moon is the only celestial body where we can actually see the "geology" with the naked eye. Those dark spots you see? Those are the Maria—giant basins formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. They were filled with basaltic lava billions of years ago. When you look at the crescent tonight, you are literally looking at a frozen volcanic wasteland hanging in the vacuum of space.
It puts your morning commute into perspective, doesn't it?
Actionable Steps for Stargazers Tonight
Check your local weather app for the "Moonrise" time. It's probably going to be around 2:00 AM or 3:00 AM. If you aren't a night owl, just look up at 7:00 AM before the sun gets too high.
Grab a pair of 10x50 binoculars if you have them. Focus on the Terminator Line—that’s the line between the light and dark side of the moon. Because the sunlight is hitting the craters at a sharp angle there, the shadows are incredibly long. This makes the mountains and crater rims look 3D and massive. It’s the best way to feel the scale of another world without leaving your driveway.
Tonight isn't about the big, flashy Full Moon everyone posts on Instagram. It’s about the quiet, sharp beauty of the crescent. It’s a reminder that things are always changing, shifting, and resetting. Enjoy the dark sky while it lasts; the light will start creeping back in before you know it.